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Social activism and psychiatrists in community mental health centers
Author(s) -
Wagenfeld Morton O.,
Robin Stanley S.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/bf00894355
Subject(s) - mental health , health psychology , catchment area , psychology , public health , social activism , psychiatry , public relations , nursing , political science , medicine , drainage basin , geography , cartography , politics , law
A sample of psychiatrists (n = 72) working in 20 community mental health centers (CMHCs) representative of the organizational and catchment area characteristics of operating Centers were queried as part of a larger study (n = 595) of community mental health worker roles. It was found that psychiatrists were like other staff in perceived organizational expectations of social activism but were significantly lower in perceived personal/professional role activism and role discrepancy. Unlike other staff, psychiatrists' levels of activism and discrepancy were unaffected by personal characteristics or organizational and catchment area characteristics of the CMHCs. It was concluded that the psychiatrists' unwillingness to assume any but the most modest community activist stances may hinder the development of the CMHC movement.